


The Aurora Above

by SaltSquared



Series: A Believing Heart [1]
Category: Little Witch Academia, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Other, Panic Attacks, Recovery, Ursula is confused as hell, and Jack's some random spirit caught in the crossfire, i just noticed some similarities between little witch academia and rise of the guardians so yeah, okay so i literally have no idea how this will turn out, takes place before little witch academia but during rise of the guardians, the Guardians are weaker than they used to be
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2019-10-16 12:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17549870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaltSquared/pseuds/SaltSquared
Summary: Ursula had no idea that Dream Fuel Spirit affected more than just the audience at that fateful show.Or, Ursula Callistis is kidnapped and taken to the North Pole, finds out she's somehow weakened beings beyond anything she's imagined, and is thrust into an adventure where she has to face the results of her actions, what it truly means to be a Guardian and the things she fears most.





	1. Prologue - Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> You ever just think about how Dream Fuel Spirit converts dreams into magical energy? And there's a literal Guardian of Dreams?  
> Also, about how Chariot shot the moon that one time, when it obviously plays a big part in Rise of the Guardians? And Croix erased the audience's memories right afterwards when there's an actual Guardian of Memories?
> 
> And with the way Rise of the Guardians went, with Sandy and Tooth being the first ones to be affected by Pitch?  
> And how Pitch and Croix both work with negative emotions, such as fear?
> 
> Well...this is the result. I honestly don't know how this story will play out, but I just noticed some similarities and wanted to write something. Also, this takes place during Rise of the Guardians, but before Little Witch Academia, so Akko won't be in this but she might appear later...so yeah, here it is.

Ever since she was a little girl, Chariot wanted nothing more than to make everyone smile.

She was a cheerful person, always smiling - anyone you asked would say that she was a pleasure to have around, and the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her ambitions and goals...

For hours on end, occasionally with her pet Arcas by her side, she would stand in a wide clearing and summon sparks and golden butterflies with a wave of her wand, the way they floated around her like shooting stars causing her to giggle. Magic itself was a powerful thing; it could assist people in average tasks, it could be used to cast wonderful spells...or create bright colours and shapes that would make anyone smile.

From that moment on, she knew what she wanted to do.

And it would all start at Luna Nova...or so she thought.

Chariot would practice her magic in town sometimes, but no matter how many times she did it, they never seemed to work. A simple growth spell had caused plants vines to nearly devour the entire classroom, any attempt to make a decent potion had exploded in her face, and the one time she attempted shapeshifting on an innocent man's dog....

The sight of a small puppy, with its legs having become so tall it towered over most of the buildings and its owner was practically clutching the dog's leash for dear life was more than enough to make her shriek in terror.

Most of the people at Luna Nova said that she had a good heart, but maybe the whole  _magic_  affair just wasn't for her.

"Why does it have to be so  _unfair?_ " She had nearly screamed, burying her face in her hands as she sat on one of the benches around the school, the sunset casting a golden glow on the two of them. "I just wanted to make people happy...I just want to do the right thing, but...nothing ever  _works!_ "

Maybe they were right.

Maybe she wasn't cut out for this.

Maybe she should have just given up from the start.

Someone's hand resting on her head brought her back to reality, the girl going stiff as a board, sitting up and immediately wiping her tears to make sure she didn't look foolish. She only looked to her left and saw another student, with medium-length lavender hair and teal eyes underneath the glasses she was wearing. Unlike the others, she had a reassuring smile on her face, despite how hopeless Chariot looked.

_Croix._

The only person who understood what she was going through, for they both wanted to change the world someday.

The only person who would always be there for her, no matter what.

"C-Croix?" she breathed, her eyes wide open. "I...what are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you after class ended," The witch's tone was calm, though it showed signs of underlying concern. "You left by yourself after the... _incident._ "

Chariot could barely stop her face from turning a bright red, and so she only glanced away from the girl, mortified at the thought of previous events.

No words were spoken between the two of them for a while, before she heard Croix remove her hand and sit down next to her, speaking in a soft voice before she could object. "You don't have to listen to them, you know? You shouldn't give up, Chariot."

"I know...I  _know_  that!" The look on the girl's face was one of pure distress, wondering if she'd ever be successful. "But no matter what I do, everything fails! I want to perform magic for others, I've  _always_  dreamed of that! But it's like fate doesn't want me to...and I don't know if I can."

Croix just stayed there, her eyes widening at Chariot's outburst, before she slowly reached out and put her hand on her shoulder. "I know that you'll become a great witch, Chariot; you're passionate about what you do. And I'll even support you along the way!"

"But-"

"So don't give up. You can do this, and I  _believe_  in you." For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she managed to smile. "You still have to believe, Chariot.  _That's_  what magic is."

Both witches stayed there, staring into one another's eyes, before Chariot got the courage to smile as well.

"That's right...isn't it? A believing heart..."

Regardless of how many times she failed, Chariot decided she wouldn't let that hold her back - she'd fulfill her dreams and use magic for the benefit of others.

And so, she attempted to focus harder in her studies - she practiced all she could, while staying true to her inner belief.

And then one day, whilst she and Croix had been walking through the Forest of Arcturus in search of something legendary, she noticed the moon looming above, it's glow almost becoming more  _intense_.

Seven stars appeared in the sky, falling in front of her at an impossible speed and merging with one another, forming a long, angular shape...and before she knew it, a new wand had appeared in her hands.

It had a delicate look to it - with lines and grooves connected to seven sparkling gemstones embedded inside of it, and the moon's gaze engulfing it in a holy light...

In a storm of leaves, a tall woman with teal hair that cascaded down her back, an elegant dress adorned with plants and vines, antlers on top of her head and emerald eyes appeared out of thin air, introducing herself as one of the Nine Olde Witches who founded Luna Nova long ago; _Woodward._

It was then that she found out this sacred wand in her hands was the  _Claiomh Solais_ , an artifact with immense power. Because of how determined she had been to help others, because of her  _belief_...she had been chosen to wield it, to unlock the Seven Words of Arcturus and unlock the Grand Triskelion, an object that possessed the power to alter the world at a level beyond anything she could dream of.

She denied it at first - she probably wasn't able to handle something like this, it should have gone to someone more responsible...like  _Croix_ , perhaps, because something about her expression was...off.

However, the moment Croix had tried to touch it, she was met with an electrocuting sensation through her fingertips - as if the wand was outright confirming that she would never be worthy.

This responsibility was hers, and hers alone.

Croix had cried out in confusion and almost pain, wondering why she could never hold this power; but the spirit in front of them didn't respond, and Chariot could only watch in sympathy as her friend became unusually silent.

"This world...it has unique things beyond all that you've ever known, Chariot." Woodward had said, giving the moment a mysterious aura just with those few words. "Some can see them because they have a believing heart...though for others, it fades away. Before we part, I want to give you something that will make you understand..."

Both her spirit and the moon seemed to bathe everything in their light, Chariot flinching as she felt a strange sensation go through her body...before she noticed that nothing had changed physically and glanced upwards in confusion.

Her eyes met Woodward's, and the witch in question only took in her final sight of them for now, before once again disappearing in a flurry of leaves.

Chariot and Croix glanced up at the sky, finding that clouds were beginning to hide it from view, and she was just about to put her hand on Croix's shoulder to ask her what was wrong when she pulled away.

"...Come on, Chariot. Let's go."

* * *

 

In the days after that, she found the act of performing magic becoming something she could do with ease.

Soon enough, Chariot had begun to garner a small crowd in the town square with sparks and bright colours from the newly nicknamed 'Shiny Rod' - in her defense, ' _Claiomh Solais_ ' was a mouthful.

People marveled at her as she tapped out melodies, and sent a rain of shimmering stars down on their heads, which some even caught. And then, a little girl practically had stars in her eyes as soon as Chariot summoned tiny waves of butterflies, waving her hands around in an effort to grab one. There was something about seeing her smile that reminded Chariot of why she was doing this: maybe to inspire others, or bring them joy. And as she watched them clap and cheer, she thought that all of it was worth it.

She never noticed Croix around the corner, beginning to seeth with feelings bottled up for so long.

Over time, she found each word, getting closer and closer to the destiny that had been assigned to her...but for some reason, regardless of what she tried, the seventh one just wouldn't appear.

There were no signs, like the Shiny Rod glowing and indirectly leading her to what she needed to do to unlock it. There were no possible meanings that she could think of, or find.

It was like it had disappeared from the face of the Earth.

Until...she realised what it could possibly mean. This whole time, she had just wanted to bring people true happiness - maybe, she could achieve it by working harder! Of course, she just needed to be more determined, perhaps.

_I'll show them...what a believing heart really is..._

Chariot had just been doing her usual routine on a Wednesday night.

With a wave of the Shiny Rod, waves of light and bursts of every colour of the spectrum rose into the air, shimmering and gleaming as they danced around the crowd, before falling into their open hands.

"Just keep believing...for  _that_  is your magic!" She began to bid them farewell with a charming grin, and she was just about to head home when an unfamiliar voice cut through the chatter.

"That's some wonderful magic you've put on display..."

She finally gathered the courage to turn around, spotting a bearded man in a professional-looking suit with blond hair. "How would you like to show it to a bigger audience?"

And just like that, things skyrocketed for her. Taking up the man's offer, she had begun to perform on stage to a vast audience of people, with the name of 'Shiny Chariot'. With dazzling spells and incantations that would amaze thousands, she quickly became a hit. At one point, she had gotten so popular that some of her shows were even broadcast on TV, and she began to travel the world.

But with the weight of that unknown seventh word still lingering, things between her and Croix becoming tense, and her strain to keep everyone entertained, to reassure them that everything was fine...

...what was once hope and joy for the future had turned to fear. And with each passing day, everyone's responses began to change.

_Haven't you got any new tricks?_

_Honestly, her routine's getting old by now._

_I'm_ _sure_ _you can do better than this! I want to see something more exciting!_

She gave the computer screen a hollow stare, reading the comments from so many fans of hers that had just turned to outright insults. All the while, her manager ranted on about her needing to come up with something better, and fast. But Chariot only found herself in a dark place, where it was almost impossible to breathe.

* * *

 She sat at her desk, flipping through the pages of many books and articles for something that was good enough but finding nothing sufficient. No, she had already tried that spell...this new was too weak, this one could possibly need more power than she had, this one was just boring...

None of these were good enough.

 _She_  wasn't good enough.

The witch ran her hands through her hair, taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. She wouldn't stop until she found something - with all of her doubts and worries building up, it felt like she would burst. Even the sound of her fingers tapping against the desk in boredom had begun to dissolve into static, and it felt like everything was going dark...until she heard someone else's footsteps and immediately turned around.

"Chariot...it's been a while, hasn't it?"

At once, the witch's eyes lit up at the sight, and she rushed forward to pull her best friend into a tight embrace, the two having barely talked since she had receibed the Shiny Rod. " _Croix!_ "

* * *

 

The sunset cast everything in a strong shade of gold, the two girls deciding to meet on a bridge overlooking a flowing river, the atmosphere almost serene.

"I don't understand..." Chariot sighed, wondering what on Earth she was going to do from now on. "I just wanted to do the right thing - to meet their expectations, to show them something...they've never  _seen_  before!"

Croix only smirked as she stood in front of her, an idea coming to mind. "Then, how would you feel about trying some of my ideas?"

At this, Chariot's eyes widened and she faced the witch in pure shock. "Huh?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Croix's eyes flickered away from her for a few seconds, and she gave her a reassuring smile. "I've been doing some more research on different types of magic and energy recently. And though in this state, it's  _experimental_  at best..."

"What kind of magic?" Chariot stood up at once, having become so desperate that anything would suffice. Anything to impress those people out there, because she needed to work harder. Maybe...she could find the seventh word this way. Croix only nodded, pulling out a book and flipping through its pages before pointing to a certain one. " _Dream Fuel Spirit._ It converts the  _dreams_  of the audience into magical energy, allowing you to use more power and fuel them with bigger dreams in return." As she elaborated its effects, the witch could only marvel at it with a wide grin on her face.

This was just what she needed.

* * *

 Chariot felt the energy course through her as soon as she cast the spell, and with the uttered words of 'Metamorphie Faciesse', she had transformed into a bird made of light, and taken to the skies. The venue she was to perform at wasn't far from here...and she already had some ideas in mind for how she would wow the audience.

However, she nearly stopped in her tracks at the sight of gold streaks of sand spreading throughout the night sky, splitting up and heading in all directions...right towards the buildings down below. Of course, some people were asleep - but not all of them, and Chariot had no idea what to make of these as soon as she saw them.

_"This world...it has unique things beyond all that you've ever known..."_

Deciding to save that mystery for later, however, she continued to descend, zooming right through the crowd as they gasped in wonder, before changing back to normal as she addressed the audience.

"Welcome to...the world of magic!"

Cheers arose from everyone who was there, and Chariot was practically in awe by the amount of things she could do - from shapeshifting into many different forms, to other spells she would never have accomplished normally.

And of course, soon people's dreams began to manifest from their hearts in the form of many creatures - such as fairies, birds and dolphins. But what intrigued her the most was that some of those streams of gold had begun to descend, enveloping the Shiny Rod in their light before disappearing into its gemstones.

Chariot could only watch them do so, unsure of what was happening, before she was brought back to reality again as soon as a raging monster made from dark cubes and particles appeared, immediately consuming all the dreams into its mouth and letting out a roar that made everyone quiver. Unbeknownst to the audience, this was actually some of Croix's technology built to quickly contain the dreams as they flew upwards.

Choosing to improvise, she held out the Shiny Rod, it immediately transforming into a broom and carrying her towards it. Leaping onto one of the pillars nearby, she readied herself, yelling the first Word of Arcturus she had learned into the night sky. Everyone else could only watch with bated breath.

"Noctu Orfei Aude Fraetor!" At that phrase, the Shiny Rod began to spin and morph, splitting apart and putting itself back together until it formed a grand bow, an arrow of light appearing from thin air. "Shiny..." she drew it back, before releasing it, the creature only opening it's mouth in retaliation. "ARC!"

The creature only opened its jaws in response, not having any idea what that arrow could do, and swallowed it whole. There were a few moments of silence, before a beam of light could been seen spreading through its body...and with a loud  _bang,_ it exploded in a flash of light.

Having been set free from that dark prison, every manifestation of the dreams began to flutter around once more, slowly rising up into the sky and out of anyone's reach.

And with the show about to end, Chariot only stood there, shooting one more arrow into the sky and creating a swirling green portal for her to make her exit. She glanced down at the audience one final time, before grinning, wanting them to always believe in themselves no matter what.

"Never forget...no matter what setbacks,  _believe_  in yourself...for that is your magic!"

The Shiny Rod became a broom once more, and she immediately disappeared through the portal, leaving fireworks and a rain of stars in her wake.

One person in particular, though, was was a small girl wearing a hat similar to Chariot's own, with brown hair and maroon eyes that gleamed with joy. She reached out, catching one of the falling stars, and held onto it with a look of awe before it faded away. 

* * *

 "I, I just...can't thank you enough, Croix!" Chariot was practically bouncing around her dressing room in delight, almost in awe of the magic she had performed. "Did you see the looks on everyone's faces? They were so excited!"

"Yes, it did turn out to have marvelous effects..." Croix smirked, beginning to get lost in her own thoughts. "With this, the world of magic can surely be revived...if it'll change things for the better, then what use are a little  _sacrifices?_ "

Chariot stopped mid-celebration, confusion becoming clear across her features as she registered what the witch had just said. "S...Sacrifices?"

Croix paused, her tone becoming more devious as she turned away from her, beginning to mention things she hadn't told her friend before. "Dream Fuel Spirit takes people in the vicinity of where it was cast's dreams from deep inside their hearts, and turns them into magical energy."

"Yes, but...you never told me it came from inside their hearts..." The memory of Croix's technology absorbing all those manifestations, and them disappearing into the sky... "I thought it would only affect the audience, right? Not...everyone in the area..."

"But it did," affirmed Croix. "It worked just as intended - it gave you more magical power."

"So..." Chariot blinked, not liking where this was going. "What happens to the people you take those dreams  _from?_ "

"Nothing much," At this point, the lavender-haired witch's eyes met hers once more. "They just lose some ability in return, that's all."

"W- _What?_ " Horror began to settle in, the fact that she was taking those people's magic ability rather than inspiring them to use it in a new way... "Their magical ability? But...what if they become inspired?! What if someone out there truly believes? What if they want to-"

"Think about it, Chariot." Croix shrugged, not even seeing what the problem was. "Why would they ever care about an ability they  _hardly_  ever use?"

The girl nearly choked, because the witch was partly right.

"Now, maybe there would be a problem if a witch from a prestigious legacy was sitting in that audience and had her ability taken," By now, the witch's words had become distorted in her mind - she was seeing all of their past conversations in a different light.

"But then again, why would they ever come to see some  _weak imitation_  of magic, like yours?"

And for Chariot, those words were the last straw. So many emotions were making themselves known inside her - fear, confusion, surprise - but now the witch could feel them changing into something else. Something that overwhelmed all the others, a burning sensation throughout her body...

Anger.

"Why would you do that?!" She shrieked, running her hands through her hair in stress. "You tricked me from the start...if I had known what it  _truly_  did, I would never have used it! I never wanted to do that to innocent people. Taking their magic away..."

The witch had to repress a shiver at the thought of how downhill things would go for anyone who was really inspired.

"All I wanted was to impress them...I never asked for this!"

"You... _never asked?_ "

It was then Chariot noticed how sudden her outburst had been; Croix was taken aback, before her voice rose in volume: now it was _her_ turn to be outraged.

"You're just so naive, aren't you?! This is  _exactly_  why you haven't found the seventh word!"

"Wait, Cro-"

"No. You have to listen to  _me,_ " she stepped forward, her eyes narrowed in accusation. "You still have a big responsibility, Chariot. You were chosen to find all the words and revolutionise the way magic is seen by the world. And yet, what are you even thinking wasting that power on meaningless tricks? What were you thinking, taking almost infinite power and using it for entertaining  _children?!_ " 

"Croix..." Chariot could only whisper in fright, utterly disturbed by all she had just said.

"And what kind of name is the "Shiny Rod'?" Her friend's features were twisted in a grim smile as she began to laugh. "Do you honestly think the Claiomh Solais, that Professor Woodward even chose you just for this? This...weak attempt at what magic is?"

Chariot could barely say anything, as Croix's fury and stress had all faded away with her words, and was now replaced with dismay.

"Why..." she whispered, on the verge of breaking down. "Why were  _you_  chosen in the first place...?"

"I don't know...I don't _know_ ," The witch forced herself to speak, just wishing everything would stop and she could take a break. "I just wanted to please everyone. I just wanted them...to believe. This is all that I can do, Croix. It's the only thing that I know how."

Silence.

"...you don't get  _any_  of this. Your shows will fail eventually if you don't step it up..." After a while, Croix's voice cut through the silence but it sounded hollow...almost broken. "...soon, magic will fail too. It'll be nothing more than a thing of the past."

Chariot just stared at the ground, wishing it would open and let her fall into its depths so that she never had to face any of this.

"I can't do this anymore...I need to go my own path." Croix gave a harsh sigh, holding back anguish she didn't know she had, and began to leave the room. "All of this, with the way you're going and what might happen in the future...it's just torture. I'll still be there at some of your next shows, but after that...you're on your own."

Opening the door, she froze; wanting to say something, to scream, to cry, but instead not doing anything. When she did look back, her expression look harsh, and her tone was bitter.

"Goodbye, Chariot."

And as the door slammed in her face, it felt like Chariot's entire world, her reality, all of her dreams... were falling apart.


	2. Prologue - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After she refuses to use Dream Fuel Spirit, Chariot ultimately loses control and unknowingly sets off a chain of events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I split the prologue into two parts due to worry that it might be too long, so here's the second part! This chapter also delves into how some of the Guardians were affected, and is really setting the rest of this story up.
> 
> So anyway, here it is!

She didn't know what was happening.

One second she was on that stage, summoning sparks and making small creatures disappear in a puff of smoke with a wave of the Shiny Rod, before making them flutter around in the air.

Her eyes drifted to the audience.

They weren't even batting an eye, simply chatting and staring at their phones in boredom, or at  _her_  in disappointment. Well, she thought, this would have to suffice. After all, he swore she would never use Dream Fuel Spirit again after finding out its true effects.

"What are you even doing with yourself?" Her manager had said, while the comments she had received had only gotten more hateful. "People always want something bigger, and for a while you delivered! But now you need to do something new. Something  _fresh_."

Over the weeks that went by, their gazes had become almost too much to bear...and dread began to settle in. She had to please everyone...she had to work  _harder_...but she failed every single time.

Would magic really be forgotten? Would she just fade away into the darkness?

Chariot stood on the stage once again, knowing that Croix was watching from above. Those streaks of sand still remained in the sky...but with all that had happened, she had barely ever got to investigate them.

"Haven't you got something new?"

"All the popularity must have gotten to her..."

"This is why I didn't want to come here. I told you that she was just a fake..."

Their eyes were all burning into her, and she could feel dread creeping through her insides. Everything had gone dark, but they were still expecting something.

She had just wanted to make people happy...she had to please them, she had to...

She could hardly breathe, beginning to hug herself tightly in a futile attempt at comfort. This darkness, the  _fear_ , the stress...it was all coming back. She wanted it to go away.

She wanted it all to end.

Chariot glanced up at the sky, seeing the moon watching her amongst those threads of gold. Somehow, even  _it_  seemed to be waiting for her to make her next move...was this really what she had dreamed of?

She was only trying to do the right thing, but she had failed everyone...she had failed  _magic_. And now, it would be forgotten and lost to the endless cycle that was time, every book or paper detailing its power, the wonderful things you could do with it orever.

"What else do you have up your sleeve?"

"Give us something more!"

Something more... _something more..._

The world was spinning, the Shiny Rod the only thing she could see, and in her haste, she frantically screamed out the first Word until her throat was dry.

" _Noctu Orfei Aude Fraetor!_ "

At once, everyone in the area was taken aback as the Shiny Rod released its full power, becoming more thorned and changing into a bow nearly twice Chariot's height.

"Shiny..." She yelled in extreme panic, needing to impress them, to do  _something_ as she formed a giant arrow pointed right at the sky. " _ARC_ _!_ "

* * *

 

Sandy felt...unusually drained.

Maybe he was just worried, or he was imagining things. He had done his job, sending his Dreamsand out across the world, as usual for the past few days. But something wasn't right.

He had unlimited power - he could manipulate the sand into any shape he wished, or use it to instantly make someone unconscious, in rare cases. But now, something seemed to have made it deteriorate - almost as if there was a limit to how far the streams could stretch, or if part of them had been taken away.

This had never happened before - could he be losing believers, perhaps?

Instinctively, Sandy glanced up at the Man in the Moon, the very person who had given him his title as a Guardian. If something was wrong or they were in danger, he'd let him and the others know, right?

It was strange...this had only started a few days ago, and yet it felt like a part of him had been taken away. Like he had become almost  _weaker_.

Continuing to weave dreams for everyone across the planet, he was mostly absorbed in his own thoughts...until he saw something out of the corner of his eye; a small flicker of light, from miles away, rising up into the atmosphere.

He squinted, wondering what it was - a shooting star? But shooting stars fell, and this one was  _rising_ , getting faster and faster the more it travelled upwards.

Then a ringing sound cut through the air, the light soaring faster and faster into the sky, Sandy following its gaze...before his eyes widened and an exclamation mark formed from sand appeared above his head.

That thing, whatever it was...was heading straight for the  _moon_.

He wished he could have done something to stop it, though it was too far away for him to reach. And by the time that both him and the witch who had fired it realised where it was going, it was too late.

For a while, there was silence as the light seemed to disappear into thin air. And then, a loud  _bang_  sounded, one that could be heard by everyone on the planet.

Sandy could only watch in horror, for the moon now had a massive crater in the shape of a four-pointed star scarring its surface. And what haunted him the most was that he didn't know what had caused it, or _why._

* * *

 

Once the crowd saw what had happened to the moon, they immediately began to panic, some even outright glaring at Chariot as she stood there, petrified at what she had just done.

Croix, who had marveled at the raw power of the Shiny Rod at first, immediately deployed the technology she had been working on for years. "No...I, I have to erase this from their minds!"

And just like that, people collapsed to the ground, unconscious as magic crept into their minds and their memories of the show in its entirety faded to nothing.

* * *

 "Tokyo, Sector 5...29 premolars, 17 bicuspids, and 30 lateral incisors!" Tooth called out amongst the rapid fluttering of wings around her, alerting any fairy that wasn't in a rush at the moment to where she sensed teeth for them to collect.

"Next up,14 canines and 26 central incisors in Argentina, Sector 3-"

The fairy stopped in her tracks, sensing something else among the thousands of teeth calling out to her somehow; a faint tugging at her heart, though it was a sensation from close by, in fact.

What was more concerning was the fact that it was getting weaker by the second, and for a moment her wings felt a bit heavier...

The  _memories_ , she realised. Something was happening to the memories.

Quickly telling one of her fairies to lead the others in her place, she flew off like a rocket through her palace, getting to a large chamber with millions of boxes stored inside it reaching up to the ceiling. Violet eyes surveyed the place frantically in desperation, hoping nothing was wrong, that it was all just a trick of her mind, but Toothiana knew that her senses were _hardly_ ever wrong.

And after a few minutes, she finally saw something that shook her to the core.

Dozens upon dozens of waves of mist were spreading through the entire place, travelling to certain people's - about 30 or 40 at best - memory boxes, slipping inside them without struggle and messing with the teeth inside.

And in that moment, the fairy didn't have to think twice before she shot around the chamber, trying to salvage any boxes before they were consumed and the memories disappeared forever. "No, no, no,  _no!_ "

Tooth tried _everything_ at her arsenal - attempting to deter or dissipate the mist with the fluttering of her wings, rearranging the boxes or simply holding them shut, but to no avail.

No matter what she did, no matter all her efforts, the magic was _inevitable_.

In her despair, the Guardian could only pick up one box, that belonged to a small boy who had come from America. Trying to reach into his memories ine final time or restore them, the only thing she saw was a stage, and bright lights...before it all faded away.

" _No...why_...?"

What had done this to them? What had destroyed their memories with hesitation, without any mercy?

And the one thing that hit her the hardest was that she _didn't know._

Exhaustion soon overwhelmed her, and despite the sudden weight of her wings and her energy having depleted somewhat, she tried to make her way back to where she had once been standing.

She couldn't let this go on any longer - she needed to protect those memories properly.

She was the _Tooth Fairy_ , for goodness' sake.

Every child, every person out there, in case anything like this happened again...was counting on her.

And when she got back, she gasped in shock; for the moon's surface had taken some lasting damage she had been far too occupied to notice.

* * *

 Chariot couldn't say a word; the damage that the moon had taken would likely last, even many years later. But she didn't think  _she_  would, and neither would her career.

The slender form of the Shiny Rod darkened,  beginning to rot and decay, and withered away until it was nothing more than dust in the wind. Chariot was left alone, her hand still outstretched to the sky, and her eyes wide in horror at the moon's glow becoming dimmer before it disappeared behind the clouds.

The pain, the fear, the realisation that she had nothing to support her now; Croix would be gone soon after this, and she'd most likely be considered a disgrace to the magic world.

All she wanted was to please everyone...but she had only let them down further. It was simply too much for her to bear, even now...

Croix could only watch as the witch sunk to her knees in the spotlight, the unconscious bodies of her audience surrounding her, and collapsed on the stage.

 


	3. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years after the 'Dream Fuel Spirit' incident, Ursula experiences the past, the present, and a possible warning for the future in a terrifying dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this story's taken so long to update, and that this chapter may seem short. However, this chapter will delve into how Ursula's been affected by her time as Shiny Chariot, as will the next, when the Guardians finally appear.
> 
> I imagine knowing that her chance to revive the world of magic in the form of the Shiny Rod is gone (at least until Akko shows up), and that she's lost a close friend of hers would really affect Ursula and the way she acts. Along with being reminded of the damage she did to the moon every time she looks up at the sky, it's not something she takes lightly, though she'll slowly recover in the future.
> 
> But thank you all for being so patient; and don't hesitate to let me know if there are any problems with this chapter.

When Ursula opened her eyes, it was to a world anew.

The environment suddenly burst into flame with a loud click, the woman shielding her eyes from the bright lights surrounding her, before they widened in recognition.

Despite all that had happened on _that_ day, in _that_ incident that had left her narrowly clinging to what was left of reality, she was on stage again.

Her gaze went downwards, seeing a flowing red cape, a pristine white vest and long sleeves rather than her usual clothing - and her heart skipped a beat.

She didn't understand.

She _couldn't_ understand.

Those...those days were _over_ , weren't they?

She never wanted to speak of them, or that night again - and she couldn't, for nearly everyone despised her other identity. Day after day, she would hear them all calling her a disgrace to the world of magic and every witch out there. Even now, she could vividly remember that day.

People calling out to her, their mocking taunts ringing in her ears...

_You should have_ _tried_ _harder._

The air getting so thin that she was on the verge of collapsing...

_You could have been better._

Seeing nothing but their judgemental eyes amongst the darkness, hearing nothing but their cruel words along with...with _Croix's_...

Despite the icy fear running through her, her body moved as though she was in a trance - bright lights and hues appeared in the air with a wave of her hand, and the audience wasn't criticising her, but _cheering_.

And how could they be? She didn't _deserve_ it.

She didn't deserve any of this after all she did to them, but they were smiling and laughing as if nothing had happened.

As if she had never ruined everything, for both anyone who aspired to perform magic and herself so many years ago.

As if she hadn't caused irrepairable damage in more ways than one...

And it drove her _insane_.

Ursula couldn't speak a word, paralysed by the audience's faces. People of all ages, shapes and sizes were there - their innocent eyes staring at her in wonder.

But they didn't know what was about to happen.

They didn't know that they had - no, what they _would_ be - robbed of. Their abilities, their possible _future_.

Words from years past appear in her mind, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't block them out.

" _-then what use are a little sacrifices?_ "

Ursula trembled where she stood, wanting nothing more than to get away from here, to escape from it all, especially that voice, _her_ voice-

" _Why would they ever want to see some weak imitation of magic, like yours?_ "

The audience's laughter only increased, getting louder and louder, becoming more mocking and turning into an endless drone of noise.

All the while, she could hear _her_ again, see a smile that she had thought to be entirely innocent as she had given her that _spell_ every time she closed her eyes.

She was begging herself to wake up from this twisted reality, opening her mouth to scream. To let loose her anguish in hope that someone, _anyone_ would listen, but there was nobody to help her.

Nobody who even _wanted_ to help her.

Not anymore.

Her vision was getting blurry, fading from the stage, to memories of her old friend, to complete darkness.

The world began to spin around her, and Ursula struggled to remain standing, the audience's faces joining _hers_ as they approached, becoming more distorted. There was no semblance of who they were, or who they _could_ be, she realised, left.

Amongst the chaos, all they could focus on was Ursula; their hands reaching out for her, letting out cries of fury and pain for what she had taken from them.

But even in utter disregard for how much she wanted to cry and scream endless apologies to them, the woman could only cough, the air getting thinner and thinner with each passing second...

"- _just so naive, aren't you?_ "

She spits out something into the palm of her hand.

_Her bow aims towards the sky..._

The irritation in her throat seems to subside for a few moments...

_She aims it back, the audience staring at her in shock..._

Ursula stares down at her hand to see some small specks of something dark...nearly rough to the touch.

It's... _sand?_

With that realisation, the darkness began to grow at a terrifying rate until it had formed a swirling vortex around her.  The masses of it threaten to choke the life from her lungs, but Ursula is too caught up in her memories to notice.

_A deafening bang, and the laughter of two witches._

_Woodward, her green eyes observing her carefully._

_The cheers_ _of_ _the audience, and her own cries as she sits in her dressing room when the show's finally over, having been left behind again._

And as her harsh coughing increased, more sand spilling out instead of words, the last thing she saw before waking up was a tall figure that blended into the darkness, eerily calm amongst the swirling shadows...


End file.
